Marriage Articles

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Here are 7 questions to help you and your partner determine if you are ready for a lifetime commitment together. Some of these questions are about you as an individual. Others are about you as a couple. All of them can give you a clue towards your readiness for a decision that will absolutely ...Views: 1107

"He is always blaming me for the bad things that happen in his life, and then he tells me it's my controlling him that is making him so angry. He yells at me and puts me down rather than deal with his own feelings. How can I get him to see that he is the one trying to control me? How can I ...Views: 3733

A perfect marriage would be free of financial controversy. But during this economic crisis, the reality is that couples need to learn new money management skills and face tough financial decisions – while at the same time making their relationship work. Not an easy task. When you use these five ...Views: 844

Do you often feel smothered in your marriage? Do you feel that your spouse is always watching what you are doing? Does your spouse nag, complain and demand things of you and it’s getting out of hand? Then this article is for you. It is not usually just one issue that leads up to divorce, ...Views: 3362

As a people, we've come a long way. We've cracked the human genome, crossed the seven seas, sent man to the moon and put Ryan Seacrest on TV. We've made technological and social advances (although the Seacrest thing is debatable). Well done us. But despite these advances, the relationship ...Views: 1639

She’s the mother of your children, whether they’re still in diapers or already driving themselves to work. She might even be a grandmother. She’s your wife and your partner in the day-to-day management of your life, your family, your home, and maybe your business. Mother’s Day is an opportunity ...Views: 626

Although forgiveness is an important part of working through feelings, and thus, a tool of recovery and the healing process, it is an often neglected topic. People often erroneously equate forgiveness with forgetting.
The best definition that I ever heard for forgiveness is simply "giving up ...Views: 3118

Family members, in their attempts to solve the problem of a loved one's addiction, try every thing they can think of, to turn the addict's life back around. They usually identify the problem incorrectly for a long time before it becomes obvious to them that addiction is the real problem. ...Views: 4060

By America’s #1 Love and Marriage Experts.
Frankly, if we hear yet one more person talk about infidelity in a relationship as if it were okay, not a big deal, and forgivable, we are going to get angry!
We have studied the best marriages for more than 25 years and we know this – the best ...Views: 5137

When most adults embark upon a new romantic relationship, they do so with the best intentions in mind. Yet most romantic relationships usually fail within the first three months, others break down within the first year and some that last longer and even lead to marriage create more pain than ...Views: 7563

If you have lived in the same home for years, you probably have a lot of stuff stored away. However neatly packed, anything you haven't put to good use for more than a year is probably a burden rather than a blessing. In a similar way, you likely have old stuff tucked away in the corners of ...Views: 1548

Every expert, marriage counsellor or therapist have their own list of the qualities of a good marriage. There are two words, though, that has consistently stayed on almost every relationship advice, articles and columns about happy marriages: true friendship. Love and sex are equally important, ...Views: 958

You have the ring in one hand and you’re down on bended knee. But do you know what to say when you propose marriage? “Will you marry me” just seems so abrupt.
Everyone has their own way of proposing marriage. Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to think that you only have to pop the question. ...Views: 8968

A recent study by Salary.com, Inc determined that a stay at home mom’s salary would be (If they were paid compared to current professional salaries) $134,121 annually. L. contacted me for an Online Counseling relief and advice session. She had reached a point in her relationship with her husband ...Views: 872

Marital infidelity can be revealed in a whole host of different ways. Regardless of how the infidelity is revealed, the revelation of the infidelity creates a crisis within the marital relationship and within the faithful spouse. The shock of discovering the infidelity leads to compulsive ...Views: 2394

Infidelity can be a component of sexual addiction or relational event(s). It is generally enshrouded in secrecy and dishonesty, with great amounts of time and effort spent to keep it hidden. Spouses find out about the infidelity or sexual addiction in a wide variety of ways. Several are ...Views: 2066

By America’s #1 Love and Marriage Experts.
The Cinderella Story is a wonderful story. It does, indeed, warm the heart. It certainly inspires. Love is always inspiring! But the truth is, it is an idealized version of falling in love that rarely ever approximates the reality or the truth of ...Views: 2675

One of the most common causes of arguments between couples is disagreements over money, mostly about how it should be spent, or not spent. Arguments over money generally fall into two general areas, differences in fundamental attitudes, and bickering over day to day details.
Sometimes the ...Views: 1634

As someone that has spent nearly forty years studying human behavior, compulsion, mind body relationships and addiction, I have seen over and over again how addiction can be shattering to our hearts, self image, and sense of stability in the world.
I am in the process of designing a program ...Views: 2351

It is an unfortunate fact that money is one of the major causes of stress and relationship problems for married couples. Money and relationships do not go hand in hand easily and the association requires some effort from both partners to make it work.
Most newlyweds struggle to adjust to ...Views: 2562

A couple happy and excited about the birth of their first child is a lovely reality however there are hidden traps that will no longer be hidden if they are examined ahead of time. This question will open that Pandora's box: If you had to choose between the life of your wife or the baby which ...Views: 1267

Good communication is not rocket science. It’s also not ‘painting by numbers’ where people have to learn a set of techniques. It’s not enough to learn some skills. The key to good communication is not just having good communication skills, but also having self-awareness. Why do you react and ...Views: 13459

What do you do when you let your heart run free, knowing even as it happens that you have made the worst possible decision? We often hear about celebrities that get married on a whim, and within a matter of days, or sometimes weeks, they head for the divorce court. They have the courage to ...Views: 1789

I'm often asked, "What is one of the most challenging issues couples face today?"
While every couple is different, there are themes that I see in my work as a couples counselor and relationship coach. One common issue is the difficulty couples have in prioritizing their relationship—a form of ...Views: 914

If you have kids at home, it's highly likely that you and your mate have to schedule in and make plans for special time for you two to be alone. This may vary depending on your lifestyle and the ages of your kids.
It's quite possible that at a certain point in your lives, you and your partner ...Views: 1207

Are you asking yourself the big question of “How do I ask my girlfriend to marry me?” Getting married is a huge step for both men and women. However, most of the burden is on you because you’re the one who is proposing to your girlfriend. Not only will you have to plan everything, you will also ...Views: 1274

Can the spouse of a sex addict find help individually for the effects of the sexual addiction on their lives? Sure. Much of the time, however, it is the crisis of discovery of the acting out, or some other related crisis that brings the sex addict and spouse into treatment. They usually seek ...Views: 2934

Are you angry, depressed, confused, and constantly trying to figure out what your spouse is up to? If you are spinning your wheels, trying to strategize and find solutions for your spouse and your relationship before you have actually identified the problem, keep reading. Family members can ...Views: 1442

Treatment for sexual addiction can occur in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Like treatment for alcohol and other drug (AOD) addiction, treatment for sexual addiction is usually made up of individual and group counseling, education about addiction, and self-help participation. When choosing ...Views: 990

“My husband had been physically and emotionally abusive since even before we married. I think I became addicted to the drama of it.”
These were the first words that K. told me during our initial Online Counseling session. “At night when our children sleep I would feel trapped unable to leave ...Views: 1271

As a Psychologist an understanding of behavior and providing Relationship Advice is what allows me to help people work through their troubles. Helping people to adjust their behaviors and better their relationships is one of life’s greatest rewards. It can be just the smallest thing or even just ...Views: 1210

By America’s #1 Love and Marriage Experts.
As we prepared for the work of the day this morning it dawned on us while watching a television show – there is a lot of bad advice about marriage and relationships in the popular media today. We watched these so-called “experts” wax on about what ...Views: 2299

There is nothing sexy about sex addiction. Compulsive sexual behavior is not a pastime or hobby. Sexually addicted people use all kinds of excuses and defense mechanisms to deny the truth to themselves. The naked truth about addiction is that once it is addiction, the addict is spiritually and ...Views: 1808

You have just discovered or been informed of your partner's infidelity. You are in shock. You are confused, angry, immobilized, depressed, and thinking you will absolutely go crazy. In the midst of all this, you keep hearing about "sexual addiction" in the media and you wonder if it is sexual ...Views: 3508

"I believe the recipe for happiness to be just enough money to pay the monthly bills you acquire, a little surplus to give you confidence, a little too much work each day, enthusiasm for your work, a substantial share of good health, a couple of real friends and a wife and children to share ...Views: 578

How we ended up with black belts in the "Marital Arts":
A few years ago, Sonja and Stephen Francis found themselves sitting in a puddle of blueberry milkshake, sobbing their hearts out.
Sonja had just dumped the milkshake over Stephen's head, right after he had punched a hole in the closet ...Views: 926

There was a time when marriage counselling was considered a last resort for struggling couples, always with something of a stigma attached. A lot of people feel that to go through counselling is to acknowledge defeat, and implies weakness in a way. In recent years, however, more and more ...Views: 836

A healthy marriage is made up of compassion, submission, respect and forgiveness. Did you notice that I didn’t even use the word “love”? That’s because all of the above constitutes love. When you demonstrate these character traits with others you are essentially turning these words into loving ...Views: 4174

Resentment is a very powerful emotion. In fact, anyone who harbors this terrible emotion shouldn’t be trying to make rational decisions for themselves or their marriage. I would even venture to say that most divorces are because of unmet and unfulfilled emotions, which is what this emotion is!! ...Views: 8004

“What are you doing?” he asks. “Tweeting,” you reply, happily letting all your friends know that you’re going for a latte. “Again?!” he exclaims, “God I’m sick of that thing.” “Oh, stop already,” you say, “ I’ve only tweeted – “ “Half a dozen times since we got in the car,” he says, finishing ...Views: 985

Is your beloved relationship honest, fulfilling and harmonious? Do you often have moments when deep love is flowing between your hearts? Do you wish for more depth, love and understanding?
Communication is a key to a good relationship. There are many books and workshops that model good ...Views: 1836

Marriage, under the best of circumstances, can be likened to Pandora's box in that it can set free all the negative quirks and egoic faults each other has. But there is something to be said for a close relationship between a husband and a wife in which both parties can "tell on themselves" and ...Views: 550

Everyone dreams of saying “I do” to the person of our dreams and living happily ever after. However, before we even get to the years of sincere work and compromise it’s important to start the entire path off on the right foot. How do we set the tone of living happily ever after?
Step number one ...Views: 496

Did you know that the beliefs you hold about marriage can significantly impact the relationship you have with your spouse? You may chock up your beliefs to merely 'thoughts,' but they actually can mean the difference between you having the relationship you want and feeling dissatisfied or ...Views: 1261

Have you ever wondered how ‘that couple’ stayed together all those years? What is it they are doing right? What are the things that contribute to the success of healthy long term relationships? There are a few fundamental things that will improve the chances of a relationships success. Those ...Views: 14434

Money is one of the leading topics of marital arguments, and it’s not surprising. We each have a money style – a collection of feelings, beliefs, and behaviors that we learned from our parents and other significant people in our lives. When two people make a commitment together, these money ...Views: 1774

By America’s #1 Love and Marriage Experts.
Tonight, we heard the sounds of love! Over the years we have seen love, felt love, heard about love, observed love, and been in love. But tonight, we heard the sounds of love!
We heard love tonight through the magnificent sounds of the St. Louis ...Views: 3080

Yet another person sitting in my office, trying to explain why his marriage was doomed for failure, and his "new love" was right!
"Greg" is a good guy. He is successful, nice, well spoken. . . by all external accounts, he's got it all. His wife of 18 years stays home and raises their two kids. ...Views: 1776

Are you looking for that perfect relationship, or is your relationship not quite as perfect as you want it to be?
That's because our intimate relationships are mostly based on fantasy -- a subconscious, idealized image, and a belief that a partner that matches this fantasy image will bring us ...Views: 3079

If you've been around long enough, you're aware of the many things that can play havoc with domestic peace, even where the parties concerned are not short of goodwill and have the best of intentions.
High up on the list of culprits here are poor communication habits, either on their own or in ...Views: 994